Kingston native Chas (pronounced “Chase”) Narramore watches on as playing partner and PGA Tour golfer Wes Roach tees off during the 2017 Herman Cup at Tennessee National. (Photo: Jesse Smithey)
While diligently pursuing a professional playing career in golf, Chas Narramore often compartmentalized his notion of someday getting into coaching.
But the day finally came in 2018 when it was time to bring that thought to the surface, and he took over as a women’s golf assistant coach in August at his alma mater – Middle Tennessee State.
But after three months there, Narramore decided to return home to East Tennessee, taking a position as an assistant coach with the Lady Vols golf program this week. Tennessee announced the hire on Wednesday.
Narramore, who’s 31 and a Kingston native, couldn’t resist the chance to be closer to home and join a program that finished fifth in the NCAA Championships in 2015 and 16th the following season.
Narramore. (photo: PGA Tour)
“Since I just got out of (professional) golf, I wanted to get into the coaching ranks,” Narramore said. “I tried a different couple schools right before the season started that had some open positions. I went with the MTSU women’s team. I wasn’t quite sure about it at first, but I really do enjoy the women’s side of it.
“And then this job at UT came open. I figured, ‘Why not? Let’s give it a chance. It could get us closer to home.’ It wasn’t something we were really thinking about, but we applied for it. I got an interview and it went well. Obviously, UT speaks for itself. Their facilities and what they can offer student-athletes is remarkable. It’s an honor to work with this university.”
Narramore plans to put his experience to use from Day One. He played various tours as a playing professional, peaking in 2016 when he played a full season on the Web.com Tour. He’s also caddied in the British Open.
He starred at MTSU from 2005-09, being named All-Sun Belt three times and becoming the first Blue Raider to qualify as an individual for the NCAA Championship.
“I feel like as a player, my main goal and focus and what I can contribute (as a coach) is course management,” he said. “That’s what I did the best (in coaching) at MTSU. Those girls saw that I could play and knew that I could hit the shots, so they tended to listen to you more. So I think that’s going to be the best thing about it (at Tennessee): I’ll be able to give them some more drills and be able to work with them a little bit more on their short games.”
Oftentimes, people get into coaching because of the impact a former mentor or coach has made on their lives. For Narramore, his brother and former golf coach at MTSU are those influencers. Colt Narramore is an athletic director and boys’ basketball coach at Kingston. Whit Turnbow recently left his men’s golf coach job at MTSU to be the new Tennessee Golf Foundation president.
Regardless of their effects on Narramore’s life, he had to make the tough decision to press pause on his dreams of the PGA Tour.
That wasn’t easy, Narramore said.
“It was very difficult. I didn’t make it all the way to the PGA Tour, but I got close,” said Narramore, who challenged for a Knoxville Open title in 2014. “I made it to the Web.com, and those experiences are invaluable. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I loved traveling. I love to compete, and I still love to compete right now.
“But at 31 years old, me and my wife kind of made a decision. She was fully behind me at all costs and was behind me 100 percent. It was up to what I felt like God was leading me to do. I’d always had coaching in the back of my mind, and it worked out at that point. But I still think about it (professional golf) each day. But in reality, I love being at home with my wife more. I enjoy getting to do a lot things I haven’t been able to do the last seven or eight years because I had to go practice or travel to a tournament. Now there are things I can do (in golf) and lead a normal life.”